The iThemba Tower project is a 20 meter-high permanent art installation made with over 7,000 recycled plastic bottles on a redundant communication tower in Troyeville, Johannesburg. The project involved schools and waste collectors in collecting the bottles and filling each one with a "message in a bottle". The project raised recycling awareness workshops and activities, the theme of the messages was to write a message of hope. 'iThemba' is a isiZulu word that means trust or hope. This project supported local community and raised the iThemba Tower, a public art monument, a symbolic communication tower around which a diversity of people shared their collective hopes. The 20 meter-high installation has become a landmark and symbol of inspiration.
Film Director, Videography & Edit: Frans Borman (fransborman.withtank.com/)
Project Director, Producer & Creator: r1. (r1r1r1.net)
Narrator: Percy Mabandu (mabandujp@gmail.com)
Additional Footage: Fabrice Bourgelle (fabricebourgelle.com/)
Waste collectors: Morena 'King' Lenong, Nana Lenka, Moses Shabalala, Tokelo Mohale
Spaza Art Garden Owner: Andrew Lindsey
LED light installation: Jarred Bekker & Daniel De Kock (bushveldlabs.com/)
Music: Stars of the Lid, NEST, Billow Observatory, Cass., Televangel, Donnacha Costello.
Special thanks to City Kidz (citykidz.co.za/), Troyeville and the broader community for participating and sharing in the project.
Sponsors:
Business Art South Africa (BASA / basa.co.za/)
Environmental Assurance (Pty) Ltd (envass.co.za/)
Between 10 and 5 (10and5.com/)
Bushveld Labs: (bushveldlabs.com/)
National Arts Council (nac.org.za/)
iThemba Tower Social Networks:
facebook.com/ithembatower/
ithembatower.tumblr.com/
(iThemba Tower is a non-profit project )
